"I stuffed him pretty well regarding the timber thieves and the destructive work of the lumberman, and other spoilers of the forests" John Muir
During May 15 -17, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt went on a famous camping trip with John Muir in Yosemite, California. Roosevelt wanted to see Yosemite as a naturalist with John Muir at his side.
Roosevelt swayed Muir into going by writing, " I do not want anyone with me but you, and I want to drop politics absolutely for four days and just be out in the open with you."
The opportunity to have the undivided attention of a sitting President convinced Muir to cancel his previous commitments. The men camped out in the snow, hiked and rode horses. Most of all, they would talk.
Charles Leidig disclosed that, "some difficulty was encountered as both men wanted to do all the talking." Nevertheless, it was the campfire talk that first evening that changed the conservation movement in America. Muir talked about deforestation and the Sierra Club's efforts to add the Yosemite Valley to the National Park. Roosevelt would respond by shouting out the "swine" to his tales.
On May 16th, instead of following their official itinerary, Roosevelt and Muir would leave their campsite at sunrise to ride horseback up to Glacier Point. In this picture we see the pair posing with Yosemite Falls in the background. According to historian Donald Worster, the reason they look so pleased was that, "They have just agreed that ownership of the much abused valley below should revert to the federal government and become part of Yosemite Park."
"I trust I need not tell you, my dear sir, how happy were the days in Yosemite I owed to you, and how greatly I appreciate them". Theodore Roosevelt wrote in a note to John Muir.
Roosevelt, on return from his trip, convinced Congress to add Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove as part of Yosemite National Park.